5 Strategies to Make Your New Year’s Fitness Goals Stick

Ringing in the New Year is not only an opportunity for reflection, it presents a chance for a fresh start. A blank canvas. A new chapter. Many people also use January 1st to start a new fitness and/or nutrition routine. In January, gyms are more packed than ever. More people are walking and running outside. You’ve never seen so many grocery carts filled with healthy foods.

However, most New Year's resolutions charge out like a lion but eventually sputter to a screeching halt. Why does this happen? More likely than not, the fitness/nutrition goal was unsustainable, leading to complete burnout. Another likely scenario is that expectations were unrealistic. Perhaps a goal wasn’t met in the first couple of months, which led to discouragement, disengagement, and eventually abandonment.

I want to be clear -- if you have ever given up on a fitness goal, that isn’t anything to be ashamed of. Rather, it should be used as a learning lesson. Was the goal too challenging? Did you have the resources you needed? Was limited free time an obstacle? Was it hard to stay motivated?

If you are looking to launch a new fitness journey in the year ahead, here are 5 strategies to help you stick to your fitness routine not just for a few months, but for years to come:

1. Set Realistic and Attainable Goals
Unrealistic fitness goals are one of the major reasons why New Year’s resolutions don’t stick. For example, if someone who hasn’t worked out in months suddenly makes a commitment to workout 5 times a week, sustaining the new workout routine may become a challenge. 

Instead, think of your goal as a set of staircases. Take it ONE.STEP.AT.A.TIME. If the goal is to workout 5 times a week, during the first week target to workout 1-2 times. From there, you can build in an extra day of working out per week, thus gradually incorporating fitness as a regular part of your lifestyle.

A similar mindset goes for nutrition. Completely eliminating a certain type of food can cause negative relationships with food, stress with meal choices, and potential over-consumption of a food that is perceived as “bad” or “off limits.” Instead of saying “I will eat better in the New Year,” a specific and measurable goal could be “I will aim to eat 100 grams of protein per day.” 

2. Make Your Health a Priority
Lack of time is probably the number one cited reason for why someone isn’t able to stick to a regular fitness program. However, I would argue that focusing on your physical health is just as important as the company meeting, laundry, kids’ activities, or any other commitment throughout the day. Prioritize your fitness - whether you workout first thing in the morning before the day gets too hectic or block off time on your calendar for a workout later in the day (the emails and calls can wait!)

3. Find a Sustainable Program
Why do overly restrictive diets never stick? They are simply not sustainable. Yes, they may deliver results, but likely not long-term. The 80/20 rule is a nutrition plan that many fitness professionals, including myself, live by and teach our clients. It essentially encourages the consumption of nutrient-dense, minimally-processed foods 80% of the time, meanwhile leaving 20% room to enjoy “fun” foods. I like to think of the 80/20 rule even beyond food, but rather a lifestyle.

Give yourself grace. There will be weeks you are crushing your fitness routine, and there will be weeks where you are struggling to get in all your workouts. Similarly, don’t completely abandon all your hard work if the 80/20 nutrition balance is tipped in the other direction for a brief period. Leave it in the past and look forward. 

4. Hold Yourself Accountable 
If you find it challenging to stay on the course with your fitness routine, seek ways to hold yourself more accountable. Some suggestions include finding a partner to workout with, signing up for races or events to train for, or hiring a Personal Trainer and/or Nutrition Coach to keep you on track.

5. Find a Passion
Last but not least, if you are charting a new fitness journey, be sure to find activities you are passionate about. There is no one size fits all approach to fitness -- however commitment and consistency are key to meeting your goals. For most people, sticking to a regular routine will only occur if there is full engagement and enjoyment. While each mode of exercise - resistance training, cardio, stretching, etc. -- all have their own unique benefits, consistently getting 3-4 days of exercise in a week is what will deliver the results.